No Breeders In Sight

[Guest Durgaminx]

Hi, All. Brand new here and thinking about a Cairn. I live in the Midwest of the Midwest... Cedar Falls, IA to be exact. I am finding it extremely difficult to locate a reputable breeder anywhere. I do know of one person who is fairly close but is a "puppy mill" of sorts. I say "of sorts" because I know a person who knows this man and he says he does, indeed, breed for money but he takes care of his dogs. So.... any advice? Thanks in advance.

[ladybroc]

I suggest you go to the Find Breeders page on the web site and talk to some breeders listed thereon. If the man you speak of is breeding dogs for money, you are taking a chance on what you're getting. I doubt that he pays any attention to the genetic backgrounds of the dogs in the pedigrees that he breeds. Money is NOT a motivation that enters the equation for a good breeder.

Joyce

[Guest Steve]

Then why do the breeders in CA charge $1500? That's rediclous. If it ain't he money then what??? I can buy the best of the best bird dog puppy for that.

Cairns are out there with good lines and somewhat reasonable fees. Seems one thing that makes them expensive is they don't appear to be the best breeders in the dog world.....small litters with more than average complications. I do like the little guys though...my wife's been searching off/on for a year. She's got a couple good breeders lined up....just been drawing a blank getting a dark female.

I'd talk to the guy and see what he says...ask about his pup's lineage, and why he brought that sire and dam together, etc. They should respect whatever breed they're breeding. You may need to ship...but that's only about $200 on average.

[ladybroc]

Steve,

There are "bad" breeders that breed all breeds of dogs. If you do your research and find a reputable breeder you will not have these problems -- puppy mills are problem mills. What more can I say? All the breeders on this site are very reputable and none of them breed for the money. I would have been bankrupt years ago; it's a labor of love.

Also, normally people don't shop for a cairn by "color." You may start out with a puppy of a dark color and it may be wheaten when it's adult coat comes in. Color should not be a factor. It is not a factor in breeding because cairns can be any color except white.

Joyce

[Guest Graig]

I got my cairn about a month ago from a breeder in Janesville WI. Very freindly breeder and took very good care of her pups. This is my first dog, and have no other breeders from my experiance to compare to, but I am extremely pleased. The price was very reasonable and I would go to her in the future. I dont remember her name but with a little research I'm sure you could find it. Hope this helped.

[Guest glo]

I am in MA, and currently talking to two breeders about two different teenage (under 1 year old) Cairn's. One is in NY, and the other in British Columbia, Canada...It is hard and a little scarey looking at two dogs I which I have to choose between, but never meet til I get one. Does that make sense? Anyway, both breeders have been very helpful, and have been very understanding of my million questions...I hope everything works out.

[Guest ck]

you've located a Cairn Terrier Breeder in BC Canada?

who? where?

I'd like to buy from someone in BC where I live.

[bradl]

Try the breeder referral search on the CTCA home page: Search for Province=BC.

[Guest Guest]

This is where I found him. He is the older Cairn...but I think she is having puppies fairly soon...Good luck.

[url deleted per forum rules. Please contact original poster off-line (by email or PM) when recommending specific breeders. --admin]

[Jutta]

Hi, I could name you 2 reputable breeders in MN, St. Paul. Please let me know if you are still interested so I can give you their email addresses. But! Dogs from a good breeder cost a little! I assume you want rather buy an "expensive" healthy pub than a "cheep" one with high vet costs in the future. Think about it. A good breeder never wants to make money, he/she wants just the money back he/she's been spending to breed and raise the litter - which is more than most people can imagine. Plus, the expenses just to purchase a dog are rather low compared to the future costs which could accur in the dog's whole lifetime (+/- 15 yrs. -) you never know ... vets, special diets, boarding costs when something happens to the owners or they want to take a trip without the pooches. there are a lot of dogs nowadays suffering from i. e. diabetis, epilepsie, allergies, digestion probs, .... and so on.

Have a nice day

Jutta

[Guest Marshall Miller]

I am located in North Wales, PA -near Philadelphia and am looking for a local cairn breeder. Only one of the breeders in the list on this site answered my email, sadly. If anyone knows of a brededer near me, I would appreciate the info. My family is hoping to have a new puppy for around mid-august.

Thank you,

Marshall Miller

actormm@comcast.net

[Guest Hogan's Mom]

Marshall,

I live in your part of PA (Malvern). Last summer, we contacted all the breeders in the area (from the list on this site). Only one answered, but she suggested we go to a dog show she was going to be attending. At the show, she introduced us to a number of breeders, 2 of which had a puppy available. Two weeks later we brough Hogan home. He was 17 weeks old, but we though that was fine. I suspect you will have to wait longer though, I think this was just serendipity. Definitely worth the wait, though!

I think you can find out about upcoming shows somewhere on this site.

[Guest posting as: Dan]

I know that we have contacted all the breeders on the breeder referral link on this site and only got 1 response-telling us that they would not be having any more litters this year. How can we find a reputable breeder in the Northeast that is willing to speak to us. I have sent out numerous emails to these people and for some reason they are unwilling to speak to us. My wife and I are looking to own a Cairn as a pet-not looking to show or breed the dog. Does anyone know of any other way to find a reputable breeder in the Southern New England/Greater NY metro area?

[bradl]

I can sympathize, Dan and Marshall. Ive found that some breeders prefer to screen using email, while others may have email but aren't really comfortable with it, or they may feel that email inquiries are not very serious. They prefer to talk 'live' to a real person, either on the phone or literally in person for more give-and-take communication and to learn more about your family and your expectations. Some other tips: if you're calling long distance, by all means leave a message, but call back on your own dime. Be flexible. Consider a junior dog or retired show dog (these are the best kept secrets in my opinion). Be patient and peristent (but don't pester). Sometimes a dog becomes available later that wasn't available when you first contacted a breeder. The very best bet is to start attending dog shows in your area and just start meeting Cairn people and their dogs. A lot can happen through relationships and word of mouth. Good luck and don't give up. A nice Cairn from a dedicated breeder is worth the time and effort.

[Guest Hogan's Mom]

Dan,

When we went to the show I mentioed above, we met a number of the breeders we had emailed with no answer, so as Brad suggests, don't take it personally, it means nothing. I think most breeders aren't "business" people looking to create goodwill, just regular, busy people.

From our 1 experience, I think going to local dog shows is the best bet. The breeders you meet there will know that you are serious about the breed, which can't be a bad thing from their point of view.

[Guest Mike C]

I got my Cairn five months ago from a reputable breeder in Stockton, MO. Since I live in CA, I was a little worried about not being able to actually see (other than photos) the puppy I was buying. The breeders were wonderful to work with and I could not be happier with my puppy. Believe it or not, this particular breeder had four pups that were going to the West Coast and because the weather in MO was too cold to fly them out, her husband delivered the CA pups door to door. I found them on the Internet, but contacted the AKC and local humane societies in that area to make sure there had been no unfavorable history before contacting them. The pup that came to me is more than I could have hoped for. He is highly intelligent, affectionate and just subborn enough to make him a true Cairn. I could not be happier!

Mike

[Guest hyacynth]

just curious about the average prices to get a sweet little baby girl carin for a family pet can be a little older puppy but still a puppy

tried and tried to look up this answer

got some odd replies

trying patiently to find out

don't know why it is a secret

not that price is everything but in planning I need to know what I am talking about

[ladybroc]

Hyacinth,

I don't know where you are from but I can tell you that in the Colorado area, pet cairn puppies from reputable cairn breeders go for about $1000.00. Hope this helps.

[toomanypaws]

I'm in N. Florida and for a pet quality cairn from a reputable breeder, expect to pay $700 for a female.

[CallisMom]

I am in CT and a reputable breeder will cost you $1200. My rescue Cairn was originally purchased from a pet store for $800 (and she is from a puppy mill).

[kayharley]

I'm now in the same boat looking for a breeder in the New England area but I am patient and doing my homework. I want to get another Cairn (yes, that will make 3) but I find alot of the people I talk to want to know about ME. Where do I live, my yard, my other pets and I respect that. Makes me feel like they care more about the dogs than the almighty dollar! I have pics of my home, yard, 2 girls and would invite any of the breeders to my residence if they needed to feel comfortable about the sale.

My problem is that many of the breeders I'm looking into are not in my area and shipping is an option. I just don't know how that whole scenerio goes when choosing a pup that you haven't been able to "meet". Can one rely on a breeder to hand-pick a pup for you, decide on one from only a picture? It gets complicated

[newcairn]

KayHarley, I know of an awesome breeder located in NH. Just got my pup from her and she has litters coming up in September, ready in early Novemer. Her dogs are top notch beauts! E-mail me if you want her name, she is FANTASTIC!

[kayharley]

Yes, newcairn, please email me the info...thanks so much!

[admin]

Her dogs are top notch beauts! E-mail me if you want her name, she is FANTASTIC!

Careful newcairn...from the top of the page:

Emailing a Cairn seeker: allowed. Posting a request for a Cairn seeker to contact you or someone else: not allowed.

Your cooperation is appreciated, in order to ensure the continued availability of this forum.

[JudyJ]

I live in BC Canada There are a few breeders in Vancouver, One in Rock Creek and a few more locally I live in Vernon, BC I'm sure most can be found in the Breeders section.

Me and Bobbi Magee